


How to Have a Pretty Good Christmas

by HoneyBoba



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Mild Language, underaged drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-10
Updated: 2013-12-10
Packaged: 2018-01-04 06:05:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1077475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoneyBoba/pseuds/HoneyBoba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oneshot. Modern day AU. Levi's pretty awful when it comes to Christmas; celebrating it, picking gifts, getting in that merry mood. But he'll try his best for Eren, even if he won't admit it. Fluff</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to Have a Pretty Good Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> So the idea for the ending of this story popped in my head while I was at work listening to Christmas music and it ended up being... a lot more than I anticipated LOL
> 
> I hope you all enjoy Uncle Erwin because I adore him. I'm thinking about writing anther Christmas oneshot for Marco and Jean, time to listen to more holiday tunes

_December 1st._

Lights blinding, shrill bells cracking through the air, Levi huffed to himself as the hem of his pants slowly became more and more soiled and soggy walking through the grey, mashed snow. If his muscular, thick frame wasn't enough to intimidate fellow pedestrians to make way for him, then the grave look on his face sure was, clearing his brisk walk all the way to his condo. Riding to the upper floors on the elevator, Levi fumed as his dearly beloved ambiance elevator music had been replaced with what had to have been a very old CD that croaked out an especially cheesy version of "Jingle Bells". Escaping the moment the doors opened, Levi stalled at his own door to take a deep breath and collect himself. He had a different demon to face in his home, and although it was in fact pleasent as opposed to the forced Christmas cheer around the town, it was definitely just as enthusiastic. Gripping the suitcase in hand, Levi swung through the door as he heard the all too familiar pitter patter of bare feet racing to the front door.

"Heichou!" A moss eyed brunette called excitedly into the room as he rounded the corner and Levi rolled his eyes at the name. Ever since Eren had found out the inside joke of Levi's co-workers referring to him and his boss, Erwin, as Heichou and Danchou, it had been impossible to break Eren of the... pet name, he supposed it was now.

"Every day I tell this damn brat to keep his filthy feet covered with socks," Levi nagged, walking up to Eren to flick him on the nose, "and every day I come home and, surprise, no socks. You must really enjoy scrubbing floors, don't you?" Eren sputtered at the implied threat, having already been trained rigorously in the very thorough cleaning process required by Levi and knowing what hell it was. He had just scrubbed the floors two days ago, but if Levi was any less merciful, Eren would miss school everyday to stay home and re-clean and re-polish the entire condo.

"H-Heichou," Eren stuttered, depersate to change the subject, "how was work? Don't you have that deadline coming up soon?" Levi grumbled about it being 'okay' or what have you as he shed the layers of his business suit, beckoning Eren to follow him into the master bathroom connected to the master bedroom. Eren tried to prepare the bath as he had been taught, and Levi scolded him for messing it up, as he too often had to. Levi hummed contently as he fell into the bath, resting against the edge and stretching his arms out on the ledges. Eren followed in suit, sitting between Levi's legs and sitting back so he was lying into Levi. "What do you want for dinner tonight, punk?" Eren took a few minutes to think before saying assertively, "Pizza."

Levi snorted and rolled his eyes. Here they were, living in the lap of luxury due to Levi's lawyer salary, and 'pizza' is the best thing this kid could think up. Water rippled around their bodies as Levi found himself sinking further into the hot bath, his mind wandering back to when he had stumbled upon Eren over a year ago, some orphaned fifteen year old kid barely getting by with his sister in a run-down shack of a house. One thing had led to another and somehow, this thirty-five year old bachelor ended up falling in love with some shitty brat, taking the boy in under the cover of being a guardian, and offering to pay for the sister to go to the prestigious all-girl boarding school her parents had promised her before their untimely death in a car accident. Although she had been dreaming of it, it was absolute hell getting her to go and leave Eren behind. The last thing she had said to Levi was, "If I come back and anything's happened to Eren, I'll out your relationship and make sure you lose your job."

Lose his job? Levi cast a gaze at the naked, built sixteen year old propped comfortably up against his own body. Losing his job didn't compare to the spot he would no doubt earn in a prison cell, if not a spot in hell.

When the pizza arrived, Levi glared at it with a twitching eyebrow. The same logo, except adorned excessively with snowflakes and Santa pictures. Eren dug in without any care in the world, smearing his pizza with different sauces, snarling into it like an demon, as Levi ate his like a dignified human being. They sat unspeaking (mostly because Eren's mouth was too full for him to speak without choking), before Levi decided to get it over with, casually drawling, "What do you want for Christmas, Eren?" Emerald eyes met steely grey eyes and Eren looked way guiltily.

"I don't want anything, Heichou, getting to live here and what you did for Mikasa is enou-"

"You said that last year, brat." Levi chided. "For all the holidays AND your birthday you insisted that. That excuse has been used up."

Eren continued to babble nervously, dancing around the question, and Levi sighed heavily. Why it had to be such a production, he was practically shitting money so a gift wasn't a problem, he just wasn't... particularly 'good' at Christmas.

_December 5th._

Same soggy dress shoes, same soiled pant leg. A little quicker pace, though. He had lost track of time staying late to do some more research, and boy, was it late. This time he brushed past the Christmas festivities, paying a little less attention to them. His foot tapped the tile floor of the elevator impatiently as it crawled up the building to the mid-top. A rattle of the keys opened the condo door to- a dark room. Levi's face twitched and he let out an exasperated sigh as he stalking out of the room and back into the elevator, a few floors higher. Grumbling, he knocked on the door of another tenant's condo. It swung open and a tall blonde, black dress pants loosened and light blue dress shirt partially unbottoned with the sleeves rolled up, stood in the doorway.

"Well good evening, Le-"

"Is the kid here?" Levi cut in. Erwin courteously led the shorter man inside. Eren was sprawled on living room floor in front of a monstrous TV, clicking away violently at a videogame controller and Erwin returned to his seat on the couch, all his paperwork strewn across the coffee table.

"Heichou, you're home so late!" Eren called from the spot he was glued to, and was met with a "No shit, I didn't notice." from the black hared man. "I'm assuming all the cleaning's done for you to have dared come over here." Eren nodded enthusiastically at the screen and Levi put a hand to his temples. When Eren found out that Erwin lived in the same building (Where else would he live? This was one of the most prestigious buildings in the city), Eren made it a habit to come over whenever Levi stayed overtime at work. His usually somber undergraduate friend, and now boss, had taken a quick fondness to Eren and it was difficult to separate them from the other's company, so Levi had learned just to take over Erwin's study when these visits occasionally occurred due to Erwin always damn insisting he stay over.

When a few harsh raps sounded from the doorway, Levi broke from his trance, unable to tell how long he'd been immersed in his work. Erwin sauntered up to the desk, leaning against it, skimming over papers in hand as he drawled out, "Eren's hungry, what would you like to order?"

"Snacks and videogames? What are you, the neighborhood pedophile?" Levi scoffed at his superior.

"I think you have that position under control." Erwin scolded back, slight smile evident in his voice. If asked, Erwin wouldn't be able to deny that he had picked up the game system back when Eren first moved into the building because Levi did not approve of 'mind rotting shit' in his own home.

After they had eaten, Eren had tried vainly to stay over as late as he could bargain for, but Levi strictly ordered him back to the complex when they reached the later hours of the night, promising to be there by the time Eren was ready for bed. Eren thanked his Danchou for letting him come over, again, and Erwin lowly waved him goodnight. While Levi was rounding up his files and papers into his briefcase, he was pestered further by the giant of a man.

"It's been a little over a year since Eren's gotten here, hasn't it? You should let him come over more, Levi." Erwin looked away at nothing in particular. "He's a good kid."

"What, getting lonely? Has this Christmas brainwashing got you restless?"

"What are you doing for Christmas, by the way?" Erwin casually switched, an air of seriousness misting the room. Levi looked at him suspiciously and responded, "Not shit, I hate this God damn forced holiday and the mindless babbling high the advertising companies jerk off to. I'll pick him up something, but other than that, I want to to be like any other damned day of the year. Why?"

Erwin shrugged and droned, "I was talking to him for a bit before you got off work. He mentioned that his parents were very passionate about celebrating. He said it was a very important holiday for the family." Levi scoffed and finished packing his belonging, muttering out, "Fucking fascinating" before taking his own leave. When he was on his own floor of the condominium, Levi slowed and loitered in the hallway, conversation re-running through his thoughts. They hadn't done anything at all last year, Eren had just moved in so of course he didn't mention anything. Probably thought it would be a burden.

"Shitty brat." Levi murmured to himself before slipping into the apartment and into bed where Eren laid half awake, waiting for him.

_December 10th._

By five in the morning, Levi was always wide awake and heading to the gym room in the complex, leaving a sleeping Eren with a peck on the head. It was impressively furnished with top tier equipment and the cold man would start his strenuous daily workout, wasting no time to work himself into a thick sweat. At six, Eren would appear, bleary eyed and wiping sleep from his lids, and begin his own, less intense session. They both would leave at seven a.m. to shower and eat breakfast together, both of them ready for the day by eight so Eren could get to school by eight-thirty, and Levi to work by nine. In the afternoon Eren would get out of school at three and either head home, or if he was scheduled for work, he'd be waiting tables at a small cafe from four to nine. Levi was usually out of work at five, or if he was working overtime, the latest would be ten or eleven at night. So on that night when it was almost one-thirty in the morning and Levi was nowhere to be seen, Eren found himself pacing the floor restlessly.

He contemplated going back to Erwin's. It was a bit past midnight when Erwin had set up a comfy blanket-laded bed for Eren on the couch, insisting that Levi wouldn't want him to be home alone, but Eren only needed to lie there for a few minutes before realizing he wouldn't be able to sleep not knowing where Levi was. He thanked the Danchou for the offer and headed back to his own dwelling to wait, Erwin reminding him to call if he needed anything.

A jingle rang through the condo and Eren sprinted to the front door, face screwed up in bottled up anger. As the door swung open, Eren felt himself losing control of his temper, when his voiced dried out at the sight of the stronger man dragging in a box much much bigger than himself.

"Heichou?" Eren questioned with exasperation, eyebrows turnt up with confusion. Levi muttered something incomprehensible and went back into the hallway to bring in more and more smaller boxes. Eren hurried over to the giant cardboard box and flipped it over to reveal a picture of a fully decked Christmas tree printed on the front.

"Had to take the fucking car to get it all back." Levi complained under his breath as he brought the last of the supplies in, though it really didn't matter since he complained about how much he hated driving in the city when he had to drive, but then about how much he hated public transportation when he had to take the bus and train.

"I'm off of work tomorrow." Levi grunted at the emerald eyed boy. "And you're skipping school. I'm calling you off sick. Now come on, get to it."

Eren took a few seconds to stare incredulously at his rough-tempered boyfriend before grinning like a madman and crying out, "Right!" before ripping through the boxes, packing tape flying everywhere and Levi having to keep himself from having a heart attack.

In a few hours the condo was immaculate, the tree adorned with beautiful crystallized ornaments and sparkling lights, a red crushed velvet circle skirt dressed at the bottom. Trinkets upon trinkets sat daintily on the shelves and tinsel scaled the length of any imaginable object with any sort of height. The sun was starting to peak to bring morning and Levi sighed heavily as he sat with his eyes closed in what was once his meticulously organized family room, not wanting to have to face the monstrosity of the mess and disorganization. Eren had been rummaging through the kitchen and Levi only managed to crack an eye opened when something warm pressed up against his cheek. He took the cup of hot chocolate and gave the floor space beside him a singular pat for Eren to take, both of them propped up against the couch. Despite being slightly taller, Eren still leaned over onto Levi, basking happily in the afterglow of their decoration, and the sudden burst of attention Levi had been giving him. Law work wasn't exactly a walk in the park, so Eren tried his best to stay out of Levi's way (tried, but usually failing). He wanted to ask why the sudden purchase of Christmas furnishings and stock for the kitchen of different hot chocolates (everything from milk to dark to German) and festive cookie making supplies, but Eren chose to bite his tongue so he could laze in the moment for a little longer.

Levi thoroughly enjoyed the cold, preferring it, in fact, but when Eren drew in closer, Levi reached back onto the couch to pull the throw blanket down, wrapping it around them wordlessly. They sipped on their warm drinks, talking into the late hours of the morning in hushed tones about nothingness, Eren occasionally giving his head a quick tilt in a silent request for a kiss. Slowly but surely, Eren began nodding off, Levi chuckling to himself at Eren's failed attempts to fight off the need to sleep. It was already biting at his own eyes, though, so Levi pulled out his phone and snapped a quick picture of a sleeping Eren curled up against the couch, dazzling tree lighting up the background. He drawled for a moment before sending the picture to Erwin. Just as he was about to push himself up to drag Eren back to an actual bed, his phone lit up with response.

**From: Erwin Smith**

**New background for my phone, thanks**

Levi 'tsk'-ed to himself.

**To: Erwin Smith**

**Fucking weirdo.**

Another low vibrate.

**From: Erwin Smith**

**So did you decide on a Christmas present yet?**

Levi wished he had some snarky ace up his sleeve, but he had drawn a complete blank.

**To: Erwin Smith**

**In case you haven't noticed, I'm not some omnipotent Santa capable of knowing the perfect gift for brats.**

Levi forced Eren to drowsily make his way to the bedroom, where the young teen fell heavy into the mattress, one pillow under his head, a spare wrapped inside his clutches. Just as he was to crawl beside the messy hared brunette, Levi checked his final message from Erwin and his entire face drained of colour and his eye gave a slight twitch.

**To: Erwin Smith**

**NO. Fucking no. That is the stupidest fucking thing I have ever fucking heard, Smith, never fucking happening.**

Resisting the urge of throwing his phone against the wall at just the thought of the message, Levi slipped into bed, his chest settling up against Eren's back as he assumed 'big spoon' position.

'Sorry Eren, not even for you.' Levi thought, throwing that gift idea right out the window to die in the freezing snow.

_December 15th._

He shook the woolen coat off his body as he waltzed in through the door, making sure the gloves he never bothered to use were tucked safely into the pocket. Smelling something faint, almost non-existent, Levi poked his head into the kitchen. Absolutely spotless, and thank goodness for that because Levi was in no mood for half-assed chores. However, it really was unbelievably spotless; no sign of anything having been made. The oven, the refrigerator, the pantry, none of them held anything unusual. He search came up empty handed, so finally, Levi turned to gaze over at the garbage can, flipping the top open.

Inside was a plastic bag, knotted tightly at the top. Working his fingers through it, the knot quickly puffed up and became undone. Peering inside, Levi was met with a small pile of messy, burnt Christmas cookies, already crumbling into themselves. He tentatively reached inside and swiped one out, the bite into it letting out a violent crunch. They were abysmal, he had to give Eren that.

Eren had his own room filled with his teenage belongings and "trash" as Levi put it, but rarely slept there, opting to sleep in their shared bed in Levi's master bedroom or more commonly napping on the couch. So when Levi cast a look at Eren's door only to find the lights off behind it and shut tightly, he swatted the door harshly before marching inside. Eren laid in the bed, back facing Levi, silent though Levi knew better than to think he was sleeping.

"No work today?" Levi questioned monotonously. "Yes, Heihou." Eren mumbled boredly. "Chores and homework are done?" Levi saw the dark silhouette move slightly in the darkness, assuming it was a nod. He flicked the lights on the room was flooded, instantly revealing the battleground. Shreds of papers littered the floor, and a mangled notebook- well, what was once a notebook, laid in the middle. He sauntered over and picked it up, turning it over in his hands. Levi had never seen this particular one before, knowing that Eren must have bought it himself since he would never defile anything Levi got him. Eren had quite a temper, violent many times, but above that he had respect for the older man and everything he had given Eren.

Levi offhandedly muttered, "Be sure to clean it when you wake up." before clicking the lights back off and beginning on dinner. Not a peep left the room until Levi called. Both sitting before their plates, Eren shamefully avoided Levi's gaze and they ate in a chilly silence, Levi knowing the mood to occasionally sneak up on Eren. When he was finished, Eren attempted to retreat back into his cave, but was met with a strict, "Sit back down. I'll wait."

And they did wait, both too stubborn to waiver. Levi cleaned the dishes, rubbing them dry until they shone and returning them to their specific, orderly spot. Slowly he pulled ingredient after ingredient out of the cabinets, lining up on the counter. Sitting comfortably back down, legs crossed over one another, he ordered, "Try again."

Eren wordlessly stood before the counter, unmoving. Levi watched his still back until Eren finally admitted, through gritted teeth, "I can't get them right."

"Why not?" Levi whirred in his even, apathetic tone. A shroud of frustration enveloped Eren as he finally exposed, "When I got older, I started telling them that I didn't want to do all the baby stuff like helping with the decorating and baking." He shifted uncomfortably in place, "I never learned how to make them like she did."

Levi visually scanned Eren before dismissing him back to his room. Levi ran a hand through the fluff of his undercut, of course that's what this was about. He returned to his study to finish more research, more outlines, more paperwork. Later that night, Eren found himself slipping into the bed next to Levi, and neither said anything as they wrapped the other in their arms. Levi peppered the younger boy's face with kisses, an Eren nuzzled into the affection. They said nothing of it the next morning, and Levi gave Eren a 'have a good day' kiss that lasted a few seconds longer than usual.

Eren dragged himself through the door at nine o'clock that night, groaning with exhaustion. The cafe had been unbearably slammed that night, though he had made a killing in tips. He waddled into the kitchen to find whatever Levi had left for him for dinner, only to be be startled when he said his Heichou sitting at the kitchen table with... a woman?

Levi and the thick rimmed glasses wearing woman looked up from their cups and just as Levi opened his mouth to speak, she jumped up and cried out, "Wow, what a cutie! This is the kids you're taking care of? Looks like the feistiest little thing I've ever seen!" Eren, taken aback from how such an excitable woman could even be on speaking terms with Levi, thanked her nervously. Levi put his head in his hands, knowing this was a mistake but it was too late to go back. He emotionally prepared himself for the tornado that would surely rip through his kitchen.

"Eren, this is Hange Zoe. She is responsible for the absolutely irritating overuse of the nicknames of Heichou and Danchou. When she found out that I had so many baking ingredients stocked at home, she threw a fucking fit like a child and insisted she come over to make some of her family's 'infamous' cookies."

Hange winked at Levi and he shot her a deadly look that screamed 'Don't blow my cover you bitch'. She shot up from the table, slamming her hands down on and and yelling, "Levi refuses to help me make them! Can I enlist your help, Eren?"

Eren blinked back, surprised, before insisting, "But Heichou's chores-"

"I'm relieving you of all your chores today! Come on, let's get started!" She shot back, taking no regard for her co-worker.

When Levi wordlessly waved his hand and waltzed out of the room, mischief gleamed in Eren's eyes as he said, "Okay, let's do it!"

The rest of the night Levi sat shaking in his study in unbridled rage as he heard screeches and howling laughter, the crashings of pots and pans, and on more than one occasion, the sound of glass shattering on the kitchen floor.

_December 20th._

Glancing over at his phone he raised his eyebrows a fraction of a millimeter. Already past ten. This work really was endless, wasn't it? He couldn't fucking stand it, his head was about to explode.

Stand up. Stretch. Yawn. Levi lazed to Eren's bedroom door and places an ear snug against it. Muffled voices... a skype call to Mikasa, no doubt. He barged in unannounced, the teens pausing in their conversation.

"I'm going to be needing Eren now, Mikasa." Levi commanded, leaning into the screen so he could see the dark haired girl easier. Even in the shoddy quality he could see her almond eyes crinkle with disapproval but just as she opened her mouth, Levi took over the mouse and ended the video call.

"Heichou, why would you-"

"Oh come on, you text her non-stop all day and webcam every other damn day. Now get dressed, we have errands to run."

Eren looked at him quizzingly, insisting, "But... this late? What do you need?" Levi threw Eren's scarf at his face, muttering no more than 'what does it matter if it's late, it's your first day of winter break' before he garnished his thin, fitted woolen coat. Eren was soon heeled to the older man, adorning his own bomber jacket, scarf, earmuffs, and after a brief scolding from Levi, he begrudgingly put on his gloves. They braced themselves against the biting cold, wind blustering and a light sprinkle of snowflakes still falling. Levi was once again having a silent fit over his soggy shoes and pant legs, but refused to trade in his nice dress shoes for combat boots like Eren's shredded, filthy pair. They walked though the iced streets, shoulders knocking against each other in replacement for holding hands, which was too big of a risk for them in public.

Levi boredly struck up conversation about Eren's friends, to which Eren became animated in telling Levi about the latest schoolyard fights he had fought with Armin, or about some dick he knew named Jean and how he didn't understand how such a horsefaced loser could get such a well-liked boyfriend like Marco. Levi only nodded half heartedly at the words, not so much interested as he was just trying to kill time until they arrived.

They rounded a corner and just as Eren started the crescendo of his story, his mouth fell open with a start upon realizing where they were. They ended up on one of the main streets of the city, where the stores window fronts were absolutely flawless, exquisitely decked with such quality that deserved, and often was, nationally broadcasted. It was competently packed, bustling with families and couples all enjoying the cheer.

"I forgot they put all this bullshit up." Levi complained, trying not to make his eye roll too dramatic. "We're here so we might as well see what everyone's having a heart attack over." He insisted, leaving a shocked Eren a few steps behind as he began to scope out the windows. Eren quickly recovered, excitement plastered on his face, having never seen the famous city Christmas sills. Eren buzzed from window to window, taking a thousand pictures to text to Mikasa and Armin, eyes as wide as saucers. Some of the windows were daintily decorated with expensive bits of Christmas luxury, whereas others were heavily themed, giant electronics whirling and scenes dancing before them. Some where very on point with the theme, elves making presents or The Nutcracker-influenced, and others leaned more towards pop culture, one of the sills depicting a scene from The Wizard of Oz, beautiful china dolls of the good witch Glinda and of Dorothy spinning on the yellow brick road as the elves watched starry eyed in the background.

The more and more he looked, the less Levi could deny how impressive the street was. How many thousands of dollars worth of electronics and decorations were stuffed onto one street? Eren's face nearly exploded with a grin when Levi began giving small snippets of praise at some of the especially impressive windows. They walked down the streets, not even taking notice when their noses pinked from the freezing temperatures. At the end of the streets laid waiting a Christmas market, placed in the openness of a park. Wooden cabins were set up, decorated with both fake and real snow, lights cob-webbing above head between all the buildings. A giant tree, about six stories high, light up the entire park with it's thousands of lights. Some cabins were filled with homemade glass blown ornaments, others were filled with hot Christmas foods of all different nationalities. Fire pits laid in the corners of the market so people could warm themselves before traveling back in for more fun.

Eren flinched as something hot pressed against his cheek as he had been looking at hand carved German nutcrackers. Peering up from where he was crouching, his vivid eyes widened as Levi pressed a thick wooden mug into his hands, it's rough carvings only making it more decorative. Eren took it and sniffed at the rising steam, before staring back at Levi with disbelief.

"Is this... caramel apple spiced ale?"

"Try not to look like such a baby faced brat while you drink it, I don't want to get busted for providing alcohol to a minor." Levi chided carelessly, but still bumped his shoulder into Eren's. They went back and forth a handful of times between all the stalls and the fire pit. Once Eren had gotten moderately buzzed, Levi knew trying to stop the teen from nuzzling into his side, effectively taking one of his arms captive to hang onto, was impossible.

They were some of the last few to leave the market when it began closing up at three in the morning. Levi had gotten Eren a few more refills on the steaming beer, taking great satisfaction in how the more he drank, the more clingy the teen became. Levi was dragging Eren's stumbling body on the near-barren streets back home and Eren would keep trying to pull Levi into alleyways to kiss and laugh loudly, 'No no, Heichou stay here with meee', and 'I love you! I love you, I love you! Love me, too!'.

Managing to force the intoxicated brunette up the elevator and into the condo, they shed their outer wear and Eren tackled Levi, wrapping his arms around Levi's neck and his legs around the heavily built man's waist. Levi easily carried the taller, lighter boy to the bed where he tried to kiss Eren to sleep, constantly swatting at his wandering hands and scolding with a smile, "You're smashed, go to sleep, punk."

The alcohol soon did the trick and Eren was out like a light, loosely curled onto his side. Levi ran his hands through the teen's hair contently, lowly humming to himself. When his phone buzzed, he whipped it out and the bright screen lit up half of the pitch black room.

**From: Erwin Smith**

**So, did you figure out what you're getting Eren yet?**

Levi sighed deeply, massaging his temples and cursing himself to hell and back. He knew he was going to regret this.

**To: Erwin Smith**

**I'm fucking hiding it at your house until Christmas. This is your fucking fault. Why does this shit always happen to me.**

_December 24th._

A little bit more... no, a little bit less. Levi gave the knob of the stove slight turns as what was to be their Christmas dinner sat roasting in the oven. When he found out that Eren's family had their Christmas dinner of a majority of German foods, he brushed up on his already considerable cooking skills to prepare a large show, the kitchen planning to be filled with everything from goose to sausages to potato dumplings and much more. Eren scrubbed away at the pots and pans Levi had been cooking on so they could quickly be reused for more food preparation.

It wasn't long before Mikasa and Armin were due for them all to eat dinner together, and later that night Jean, Marco, Sasha, Connie, Krista, Ymir, Reiner, Annie, and Bertolt would also be coming over for the friends to all exchange gifts under Levi's parental supervision (to which Levi planned to pass responsibility onto Erwin and Hange). Levi, although displeased at the thought of having so many snot nosed brats in him home, had plenty of etiquette to make sure food and drink was prepared, even if it was begrudgingly.

Glancing at the time, he braced himself, rubbing his head with the migraine he didn't even have yet, but knew would be coming.

"Eren, I want to give you your gift before the brats here." Levi asserted, and surprisingly, Eren nodded enthusiastically... or was it nervously?

"I want to go first." Eren said with a fiery determination and Levi nodded in approval, slightly taken aback. Eren marched off to his room, and they met back in the living room in front of the tree, Eren with a thick, heavy looking rectangle. Kneeling on the floor, Levi tried to read Eren's particularly edgy face. He hadn't been expecting much from the kid, knowing that an adult's lawyer salary didn't leave a lot of buffer space for a teen's part time job earnings to be able to afford anything considerably lush, not to mention that Levi didn't even enjoy impractical luxuries.

Neatly removing the wrapping the wrapping paper, Levi's eyes widened as he took the books in hand and Eren sputtered to explain himself.

"Danchou told me in undergrad your major had been history," Eren played with his hands in his lap. "He said that you were really fascinated in all the great wars, that you even were planning on enlisting in the military until he guilted you out of it, so, you know, I thought..." He voice died off as he smiled at his lover.

Levi turned them over in his hands opening the covers; these were first edition, first printings,  _signed_  copies of the Tim O'Brien books "Going after Cacciato" from 1978 and "The Things They Carried" from 1990. Both hardcover, both in pristine condition.

"Where did you get these, Eren, first print signed books like these are hell to get ahold of, and in condition like this?"

Eren chuckled to himself and murmured, "I had to go to every bookstore in the city, some of them twice." Levi couldn't believe Eren had put this much care into a Christmas present, going so far as to enlist Erwin's help. He had never told Eren of his longtime interest in the history of mankind's organized militaries and war, but he was suddenly very thankful he hadn't enlisted like he had been so hell bent on when he was younger.

"Erwin also told me that it was your birthday tomorrow, so I wanted it to be something perfect."

"C'mere." Levi mumbled as he pulled Eren into a kiss, unable to maintain composure and slightly smiling into it. When Eren felt that, he broke into near grin in mid-kiss. When they broke apart, Levi slapped himself on the head and said, "Alright... fucking shit, wait here while I get it. Fuck me." Levi groaned as he left the condo, leaving an excited Eren sitting on the living room floor in front of the tree, quite literally shaking in anticipation. Eren was a scheming piece of shit and had always managed to find out what his parents had gotten him before Christmas, but this whole month Levi had been unreadable.

'Fuck, shit, God fucking damn it, why me' was coming from the hallway a few minutes later, Levi's returned being announced and Eren's heart beginning to drum out of his chest at the suspense of Levi's first Christmas gift to him. Time seemed to slow, and finally, finally, the door re-opened and Levi strode in, holding a rope in hand. Eren's eyes followed the rope all the way down until-

"NO." Eren yelled, immediately shooting up in place, mouth on the floor.

"Just take it." Levi sniffed, scooping it up and placing right into Eren's arms an eight week old Beagle puppy. Levi then got a front row seat to Eren's brain effectively shorting out.

"Are you serious?" Eren asked, jade eyes at least five times wider than Levi had ever seen.

"Yes." Levi rolled his eyes, but Eren seemed not to be able to process what he was hearing.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Eren literally yelled into Levi's face, entire body shaking. Levi nodded yes and Eren began to short circuit.

He looked down at the puppy in his arms and screamed "NO WAY", then looked back up at Levi and screamed, "NO WAY", then back at the puppy and again screamed, "NO WAY".

Clutching the puppy to his chest Eren asked shakily, "Really? Are you serious? He's mine?"

"Oh my fucking GOD, Eren, yes, he's yours."

Eren began openly weeping into Levi's neck about he had never been able to have a dog because his father had been allergic and how he couldn't believe it, and Levi patted him on the back, turning his face away so Eren couldn't see him chuckling at the absolutely hysterical reaction. Levi regretted not having a video camera to watch the scene unfold before him as Erwin walked in the door with Mikasa and Armin, having offered to pick them up while Levi revealed his gift.

"LEVI GOT ME A DOG, HE GOT ME A DOG FOR CHRISTMAS." Eren screamed, and Mikasa and Armin simultaneously dropped their coats on the spot, running up to Eren, both of them wide eyed as they all began crying out excitedly. Erwin laughed loudly and Levi turned away to find solace in the kitchen. He was in for a long night.

_December 25th._

Or least it was technically December 25th now that it was past midnight. A gaggle of children sat at the coffee table of Levi's living room, their exchange of presents for secret Santa having just finished. Levi forced Erwin and Hange to come over and take control of the situation, though the children only got more hyped up when it turned out that one of the girls, Sasha or whatever, was Hange's niece and they had one of the most hyperactive reunions Levi had ever witnessed.

The adults sat in the kitchen, looking out at the group of teens chattering and playing with the puppy, the youngings sipping on the alcoholic coolers Hange had brought even after Levi begged her, 'For the love of God please no, I don't want to put up with that shit'.

"Come on Levi, they're not that bad." Hange laughed merrily, patting him on the back as they all enjoyed their own wine. Levi groaned to himself, complaining, "And here I thought I was going to live a simple, quite life. Fuck me, right? Fuck me for wanting some peace. How did this happen..." Hange smiled cheerfully as she scooped more food off the kitchen counters and took it out to the teens, Sasha and Connie whooping and shouting, "YEAH! Keep it coming, Auntie!"

"I can't believe you actually did it." Erwin teased, and Levi downed his entire glass of wine. "Me either." Levi grumbled sourly, resting his head on one of his hands, elbow propped up on the table.

It was only a few more hours until the house had cleared up, the last of the teenagers leaving. Eren had insisted that Mikasa spend the night with Sasha, whispering something at her when she tried to protest. Hange made sure to take Sasha, Connie, and Mikasa back to their place, Annie leashed her two boys, Krista and Ymir had left quite a while ago to attend to their own Christmas date, and soon only the sandy blonde and freckled teen remained.

"Jean, I can do it myself!" Marco laughed as his boyfriend checked him over, once again, to make sure he was as bundled up as possible. "I'm just checking!" Jean hissed, everyone used to his unfounded protectiveness of Marco. Jean called Eren an asshole and Eren called Jean a horseface while Marco thanked Levi graciously for hosting their Christmas party. Marco then pushed Jean out the door by his shoulders before Jean and Eren's spat could escalate, cheering right before he left, "Let's do it again sometime!"

"Thank you baby Jesus, thank you fucking God." Levi groaned, head in his hands, giving up right that second and heading straight to bed, falling flat into it. Eyes closed, he felt Eren's weight on the other half of the bed, cracking his gaze open to look at his young love.

Eren had gingerly placed the pup right in between them, looking up at Levi with a content smile and luminous eyes.

"Oh my fucking God, you put it in the bed." Levi groaned, sounding more distraught than Eren had ever heard in his life. Eren opted to just lay into Levi, head on the more built man's shoulder, puppy nestled between them and Levi turned to nuzzle their foreheads together.

"Pretty good Christmas?" Levi tested, exhausted. Eren hummed softly with thought, and finally he nodded into Levi, their noses lightly bumping, snickering.

"Pretty good Christmas."


End file.
